Are the new electric pickup trucks worth the price tag?

It's electric!

The Tesla has long been the biggest electric car on the market. Sure, there’s the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. However those little buggies pale in comparison to the splashy, sexy Tesla. But now, electric pickup trucks are jumping on the bandwagon — but they come with a serious cost.

Introducing the Workhorse W-15 Electric Pickup Truck

The electric pickup comes from Ohio-based manufacturer Workhorse, which previously rolled out a line of medium-duty electric vans. The new truck is called the W-15. It has a range of about 80 miles per charge, which means it will fit in nicely with a number of types of companies, from utilities to plumbing contractors.

A key difference from the Tesla models (including a Tesla pickup truck on the horizon): the W-15 will have a backup, three-cylinder gasoline motor. This enables the truck to travel farther and reduce the reliance on difficult-to-find charging ports.

This electric pickup truck sounds like a dream come true, but there’s one big catch: the price. The W-15 comes in at the not-so-low price of $52,500. Workhorse plans to promote the savings on maintenance and gas to encourage buyers.

“For the first time in 108 years, someone has invented a truck that’s cheaper than a gasoline truck over its life,” said Workhorse CEO Steve Burns in a press release.

Benefits Beyond Gas Mileage

Workhorse is banking on the idea that companies who use fleets see the many benefits of an electric truck. For instance, companies with fleets of these trucks will know the maximum number of miles that workers can travel in a day. Therefore, they’ll be sure to buy a truck with adequate range. Additionally, the trucks can all be charged overnight in a central location.

“I think electric vehicles in general are gaining more and more recognition,” said Scott Perry, chief technology and procurement officer for Ryder in an interview with CNBC.”There is a lot more interest by fleets.”

In March, Workhorse Group announced it received 2,150 “letters of intent” to buy the W-15 truck. These letters came from major utilities and energy providers around the country like Duke Energy, Portland General Electric, the Southern California Public Power Authority and Clean Fuels Ohio.

With the Workhorse and Tesla electric trucks on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how Workhorse fares. What do you think? Would you buy an electric truck?

“Don't Waste Your Money” is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. (“Scripps”). The information included on this site was obtained independently by Scripps reporters. While purchases from links may result in a commission for Scripps, no Scripps reporter benefitted from that commission.